//Checkpoint (5)//

We received notice from the music school regarding the arrangement on the day of the concert. There will be a rehearsal at the venue in the morning, then free time in the afternoon before the actual concert in the evening. My immediate reaction was “Oh, no… Where can I go that afternoon?”

Going home would not be a good option for 2 reasons. For one, it would drain quite a bit of energy and concentration hauling the cello back and forth even if I took a taxi. But more importantly, I would be at risk of arriving late at the concert if there was a traffic jam.

What about sitting in a coffee shop or hotel lobby? It’s an economical and logical solution for sure. But I quickly threw out that idea as there would be too much distraction in the surrounding.

As the day of the concert was getting near, I got more anxious not having a solution. I did have another idea but it just seemed crazy. I finally explained this idea to my mom and surprisingly she supported the idea. So at 11 pm before the big day, I made an online room reservation at a hotel which was about 15-minutes walking distance from the venue. Now I had a place to rest during that afternoon before the concert.

I asked my mom to go with me to the rehearsal but not to the actual concert at night. I wanted her to see for the first time what I have been doing for the past few years. And I needed someone to watch over my cello if I needed to step away for a while. But her attending the actual concert would cause more anxiety and distraction for me.